Simple repair for cracked-in-half fly line?

gfen

gfen

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Apr 8, 2007
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I've got a line a year or two old that's pretty much at the end of its lifespan. Its been used hard, and now has some heavy duty cracks in it... I've also noticed hunks of the PVC flaking off it, which is pretty bad, but last night when moving it to a different spool I realized there's a point that its entirely cracekd in half.

Right down to the core, completely through the PVC. It clearly hinges here.

Is there a SIMPLE fix for this with home supplies? Superglue will just make it worse, I figure, so is there anything I can do here or just use it til a fish takes the first 30' of taper with him?

I don't expect miracles, but it'd be nice if I could let this fester in the car through the summer and get one last season of abuse from it.
 

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In a pinch, I whip finished over a break in the line then dabbed with knotsense. It secured everything nicely, but was a PITA to get through the guides.
 

The whipped loop keep cracking to the core at the front, so I'm not sure how well that'll do...but its better than nothing. I don't have knotsense, but have some Flexament that might work a bit in there.

 
Allen lines are $10! for board members. PITA fixed! lol



(fancy medalist ya got there)
 
gfen wrote:

Is there a SIMPLE fix for this with home supplies?

Buy a new line. There's being frugal and there's being just a little ridiculous, this leans towards the later...
 

One season of living in a car will destroy a line, and outside of the crack through, this is still plenty good.

I bought a new line for proper use, but for baking in the sun, I'd like to run this one out.

Also, cheap and poor.
 
What weight is it? If it's an 8 I have an extra line I can send.

I understand the poor aspect as well, but as mentioned above, Allen lines are $10. That's a very good deal, IMO.
 
gfen wrote:


I've got a line a year or two old that's pretty much at the end of its lifespan. Its been used hard, and now has some heavy duty cracks in it... I've also noticed hunks of the PVC flaking off it, which is pretty bad, but last night when moving it to a different spool I realized there's a point that its entirely cracekd in half.

Right down to the core, completely through the PVC. It clearly hinges here.

Is there a SIMPLE fix for this with home supplies? Superglue will just make it worse, I figure, so is there anything I can do here or just use it til a fish takes the first 30' of taper with him?

I don't expect miracles, but it'd be nice if I could let this fester in the car through the summer and get one last season of abuse from it.

I'm just curious, what make of line is it? I have a line on an old glass rod that stands out on the back deck that I yard cast when I'm letting the dogs out. Cortland line I think. Used it for years and it's sat on the deck for maybe 5 years in the sun and although it is in rough shape it don't look like yours. Yours is really in rough shape. I thought I treated my stuff brutally, and I'm not say you do, but that's brutal looking line. Wish I could help with a temp fix for it. I'll send you my old Cortland line, I think I could get a season outta that one yet! That's a shame you only got a few years use out of it....
 
That line has had it. Sorry.
 

No, this is a 5WFF.

$10 is $10, we'll milk 'er for all its worth.
 
FiveWeight wrote:
I'm just curious, what make of line is it? I have a line on an old glass rod that stands out on the back deck that I yard cast when I'm letting the dogs out

Scientific Anglers GPX 5WFF. It might be 3 years old, fished hard but generally kept out of the hot car when not in use.

Its still nice and supple, just cracked to pieces. I like to think I'm making it into my own Sharkskin at this point.

I actually think its my cheap rod that's eating it up, I noticed the tiptop is kinda poorly made and leaves some sharp edges I figure its hitting during cast. I filled it with some epoxy, dried and then filed it off a little bit to help.

That and stepping on it. I step on line, alot. That's the nice thing about an automatic reel, I just pick it up after every cast.
 
That is old line, throw it out. buy another. all those cracks let dirt and water in to the core and weaken it.
 
gfen, I have a 2yr old cortland wf5, if you are interested let me know, and i will send it to you. It is in good condition collecting dust in the closet.
 
gfen wrote:
Is there a SIMPLE fix for this with home supplies?

Here ya go - try not to set the house on fire. I've done this on a line I stepped on and cut with studded boots - it works. The video shows a guy making a welded loop, but the same process can fix a cut in the line. Doesn't come out exactly round though.

 

I just need to wrap the entire line with tubing! BAM!
 
and unwrap your wallet-
smart way is to buy 20 lines at a time-
okay after you get over that hit you are home free as you will never need to spend money for a line for that rod again.
I do tend to hoard.
 
Ok I got a fix for that line.... Go to one of your big box hardware stores and look for rubberized/polly dip in a can. With me so far? It's the stuff used to put a rubber/plastic coating on tools. set yourself up some kinda jig so you can pull the line through the stuff and not let it touch anything else till it drys..... He, you asked! It should only cost you bout...? Well maybe you just better get a new line.

Just try'n to help.
 
I wouldn't even use that line! get a new one, or at least a newer one! I think that one has run it's course. BTW, you said you left it in your car over it's lifespan, did you have the reel in a case? or was it just left out in the open?
 
I swear I don't know how a fly line could be in that condition in that period of time. I take care of my lines and they last for decades, with constant use.

When I get home, I pull the line through a soft tissue in both directions. Always a dark residue on the tissue. Then I pull the line through a Cortland cleaning/dressing pad.

Tonight I cleaned 2 lines that were used this past weekend. One was a 444 that probably is 30 years old. The other ia a 444SL, almost as old. Not a crack on them, and they still float great.
 
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